Google has put $3.9m (£1.9m) into an early-stage biotechnology company set up by the wife of its billionaire co-founder, Sergey Brin.

In a regulatory disclosure last night, the internet search empire said that it had taken a minority stake in 23andMe, which aims to unite people with copies of their genetic blueprint to try to aid understanding of genetic traits.

23andMe was established by Anne Wojcicki, who married Mr Brin in the Bahamas earlier this month.

Google said the transaction had been scrutinised and approved by its independent audit committee.